For a short while, it appeared as though neither of the two was inclined to properly speak. They each felt that it would be a great deign to initiate a conversation; it was too disdainful. Unfortunately, they were unable to ignore the intrusive outside pressure stalking their backs. However, in all honesty, would their egos back down from a mere outsider? Naive I tell you! Naive!

*Whooosh*

A tailwind was subtly evoked from behind Hayate, gradually building up by the second. Melvin felt the force of the wind attempt to blow him backwards. His body was forced to take a step back.

(Hmph! You believe it will go the same way as before? You are underestimating me!)

Melvin began to mentally chant a particular spell invocation.

Hayate nonchalantly awaited for the right time and stirred a sudden gust of wind within the tailwind. He would once again feign ignorance and mock this boy back into his rightful place.

Melvin arrogantly watched the gust of wind flow towards him. The sleeves of his half-robe fluttered in the wind, and his perfect blonde hair was subject to a makeover. But no matter how strong it was, it was powerless to force the Serven to step back. Melvin looked indifferent, albeit a very tenuous, small grin spread across his face.

Hayate's expression briefly contorted to a frown but quickly regained its normal debonair composure. (It seems my past charitable lesson was not left wasted. Natheless, my wind's strength is not at such a low level. How will you fare against this?)

The currents of wind steadily eased down and yet were pervasive; a turbulent tailwind was brewing. In the meantime, Melvin removed his arms from behind his back and set about with meticulously fine-tuning his disordered appearance.

"The forecast for today's splendid weather in Spring appears to be a little faulty." Melvin took a moment to copy Hayate's mannerisms and ponder deeply adrift the clouds.

"Could it be due to the increased atmospheric instability caused by the strong sunshine? The increase in temperature will warm the air resulting in the air rising and the winds to flow. After all, cold air is known to be denser than warm air." Melvin's mutters were so loud that even the nearby onlookers could hear him.

"Oh Ho? Ho?!! This is nature taking its course." Hayate knitted his brow, and his eyes twitched, losing the lustre of calmness. All traces of limited compassion he held were expelled down the drain.

The stirring pervasive wind became malevolent in response to its master's distress. It sought retribution for itself and its master's ridicule. The ongoing air returned to match its previous energy when it first attempted to push Melvin. Now, the natural air was continually dishing out a powerful current to defeat that arrogant mortal. Melvin's fine-tuning was for naught: his hair fanatically swirled and hanged backwards while his robes were on the verge of flying off. It was as if he was standing next to a large, powerful rotating propeller.

"I see! I understand now! In the first place, there were no faults in the reported forecast. How could such meagre winds be mentioned? It would be a pointless remark to bring up. It was all a misunderstanding." Melvin enlightened, returned to adjusting his dishevelled appearance. Although it was an impossible task, it was an overt act to elicit a lovely response from his adversary. No matter how many times his appearance was ruined, he cooly shrugged it off and grumbled within his soliloquy. Each of his lines contained a possible hypothesis or conjecture to answer the “unexplained” weather conditions.

As a result, Hayate was forced to endure lines after lines of face slapping humiliation. Hayate deep down was slowly on the brink of tearing him to shreds. If he lashed out, he would swiftly defeat the defenceless Melvin in one move and win the round, satisfyingly kicking Melvin out of the tournament. Woefully, the cost would be admitting defeat to this irritable nemesis. That cost was even worse than death! How could a prodigy like him lose to a wasted nobody? In his wind force?!

In conclusion, the only option was to proceed with his tailwind onslaught. Limited in his abilities and movement, he, for the first time in his life, was forced to go all out against a practitioner around his age. (To think you—managed to force my hand like this.) Hayate's being underwent a drastic change as he became very focused and the air around him subtly congealed. Oddly, the process stirred a peculiar excitement to be sensated across his body. Unknowingly, the arrogance on his face faded to form an expression worn by a man in a position of absolute power.

The currents were shaping; a wave of wind was approaching.

***

"Brother Li Jun, I think there is something finally happening in that arena. The air in that arena appears odd. Is that the power of the wind?" Rhaghav asked Li Jun.

Li Jun firmly nodded his head in agreement. "I have been watching that arena since the beginning. This is not their first scuffle but . . ."

"What? Brother has been watching only that arena? I suppose you want to analyse the skills of those two. I tried doing the same but watching those snobby fools made me sick." Rhaghav was experiencing revulsion from reminiscing about what he saw. It didn't matter that he was acquainted with one of them.

Li Jun felt they were overboard but did not particularly mind. After encountering the scene many times, he had attained immunity. Besides, he respected Hayate's strength. If one had such power, then he or she was free to present himself as he wishes. Furthermore, he probably understood his character more than everyone else in the Orphanage. (It is strange though, he appears different than usual? Did Melvin cross the line even further than he should have?) Then, another curious thought occurred to him, and he called out to the person in question.

"Brother Benito. That is the person you wished to defeat. If you believe to be on his level, you should be able to see it. Do you think you can beat him?" Li Jun said in a solemn voice. Not an ounce of disrespect was present in his tone.

" . . . "

***

Melvin persisted his circulation of mana towards fortifying his body, especially the legs. The currents of wind were not only powering up, but also Melvin had a feeling that the pervasive wind was steadily blowing parallel to Melvin. Consequently, he was not allowed to continue his act nor rub his temple to erase the profuse sweat. For the time being, he could assuredly endure, though the future was unpredictable.

(Hayate, you think you can overpower me?! My surname would not be named Serven if I do not accept your impudent challenge!!)

Gazing at Hayate's eyes and feeling the subduing pressure of the winds caused him to feel his blood boil to a frightening degree. The Hayate before him made him feel as minuscule as an ant. It struck his nerves to the very core, threatening his entire existence. It was on the same spectrum as he had felt with that old man though different. Facing the old man was like trying to break through an indomitable wall while facing Hayate was like being subject to the sheer deride of a top Feeria expert. In turn, it reminded him of a particularly horrible memory back in Feeria. Melvin's anger skyrocketed to the heavens remembering this.

Melvin grinded his legs through the storm to enter a locked stance. Sternly, unfailing to gaze at Hayate with powerful unyielding eyes, he moved his arms towards the back . . .

(Oh ho . . . You wouldn't dare Mevin!)

The hands behind his back met their fingers and intertwined: clasped and unbreakable.

Melvin grounded his body into the earth and stuck out his pushed up chest: mountain and unshakeable.

No matter the conditions, the mountain will grow, and the chin rises to point as the peak: lofty and unassailable.

Finally, the mountain rests and looks down on all below the heavens: pompous and unconquerable.

Today, the man was not some expert: today, the man was a towering mountain!!!

Hayate raised his head to look fixedly at the impertinent tall mountain in front of him. Staring up at the figure made him feel uncomfortable. (Did I just think this guy was a mountain? How is that possible? He does not have such illusion techniques. Could it be . . . )

A few top experts observing the matches immediately gazed towards the direction of Hayate and Melvin's arena. They had sensed something. Noticing that this was the arena with the rising prodigy Hayate, they observed carefully. Within that very few, those who saw and felt what they had sensed believed it must have been their imagination.

*WHISTLE* *WHISTLE* *WHISTLE*

Vibrations trembled in the atmosphere, inducing the soughing of the wind. Nearby spectators collectively shuddered from the sudden high pitched noises. The amplification was equivalent to someone scratching their nails on a chalkboard. Thankfully, the noise was only temporary . . . at least for the audience . . . Melvin, however, as he is attacked, is forced to undergo this pain shrieking noise and at a frequency that shrieked ten times in pitch.

The judge, who was still incensed, was watching intently on the battle. As a matter of fact, he was more infuriated than ever before. Witnessing the demonstrations of arrogance through their exchanges and the current absurd fight had already given him a headache. No matter who wins this tug of war, it wouldn't end the match. It would only pop one bloated ego and inflate the other bloated ego.

(Curse those wretches. I'm so soaked in sweat because of them.) While he wiped the sweat trickling down his cheeks, he noticed that it was unusually hot. There were almost no winds within his periphery. Much of the currents united to flow towards . . .